I enjoyed reading your zesty and commendably comprehensive “Unofficial
History of Isla Vista” in the recent issue of Coastlines. Overall, I found
it very informative.

While it’s true that I have played a “controversial” role in
Isla Vista over the years, the question is controversial
to whom? The vested interests (the
County, the University and absentee landlords) for sure. And that quarrelsome clique of a dozen homeowners
from I.V.’s West End that hate everything about UCSB, including its
students. However, in town I was always considered
a “moderate”.

What I found most problematic in your account is it gives me
far too much credit for carrying too much of the major issues facing the town. I’m a big boy; I can take it. But it’s embarrassing among my peers, because
you portray a significant social movement as a personality cult. The perspective in your article seriously understates
the contribution of literally hundreds of people that played major roles in Isla Vista’s community-building period following 1970. Many of these people today play leadership
roles in government and business, both locally and across America, and who credit their hands-on
experience in Isla Vista as the foundation for
understanding how society could work better.

Most of these overlooked builders attended UCSB and many are
likely subscribers to Coastlines. In fact one of your readers wrote: I never knew you
that well but his description did not fit you. And thanks Carmen for sticking
up for us all. We DID try to create the kind of culture we wanted to live in
and even if we failed, we all grew as a result and the effects are still with
us.

Over a hundred of these folks have been attending Isla Vista “reunions” in recent years, something that is
certainly unique. How many towns have
reunions? It’s puzzling that these reunions
have yet to be noticed by Coastlines,
since the event last July had its banquet in the MosherAlumniCenter.

I make no apologizes that “Isla Vista: A Citizen’s History” is an account
from the trenches. Prof. Bob Potter said
it was written in the tradition of Howard Zinn and I’m good with that. However, you stated
that the perspective of the book is “purely Lodesian”, when actually it packages
the writings of several people. In fact,
the examples you offer are the writings of other, not mine:

1. The
chapter featuring “a photograph of the former Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s
Captain Joel Honey wearing a medieval sword and mace on his uniform during the Isla Vista riots,” was written by UCSB grad Malcolm
Gault-Williams.

2. You state that “Lodise argues that . . . under pressure from locals, the
Regents backed off [a plan] to incorporate Isla Vista into the main campus and
build its student housing there . . . and allowed Isla
Vista to develop with little urban infrastructure, planning or
oversight.” In fact, the chapter
in the book on the shenanigans of the University and County in the creation of Isla Vista has only minor changes from essays written by two other UCSB grads, IVCC rep. JoAnne Yokota and
Associated Students president Abby Haight, not I. Their documentation of that era is compelling
enough that even you wrote it up nearly as they told it.

In fact, well over half the book is composed of writings,
speeches, and interviews of other major players in the town’s rich history.

Because I have conveyed the message, it’s often disregarded
that I was reflecting the opinions of a lot of people
during my 30 years of activism in Isla Vista. For example, I was elected to the IVCC in
1972 along with Bill Wallace and Dr. Dave Bearman. There was an advisory measure on the same
ballot on the subject of local government options for Isla
Vista. Over 80% of the
4,000-plus voters supported an independent City of Isla Vista, so I worked towards that. Eight more such elections over 15 years also
supported it; I advocated on behalf of those results. I didn’t invent Isla Vista Cityhood, which is
what your “unofficial history” implied.

I appreciate your comment that: “Almost
45 years later [the 1970 Trow Report’s] recommendations seem as current today
as then.” Readers of your article may be
surprised to find that this is also the stated conclusion of the 20-plus pages in
my book dedicated to the Report’s text and analysis. You perhaps aren’t aware that the IVCC asked
the UC Regents to review the findings of the Trow Report in 1984. However, Chancellor Robert Huttenback vehemently
dismissed the request as a “red herring” and prevented even a vote on undertaking
such an evaluation.

Your article quotes Ed Birch saying
recently that the lack of government structure is “the” problem in Isla Vista, an observation I find particularly galling. As Huttenback’s hatchet man in the community, vp
Birch was in charge of the Administration’s campaign opposing I.V. cityhood in
the 1980s. First they claimedit wasn’t financial
infeasible, then several months later hired a consultant to “document” that assertion.
This was quickly followed by Birch’s ending
of University funding to the IVCC in retribution for its continued pursuit of
cityhood after their declared disapproval.

However, the County’s EIR, which
was completed under state guidelines by two UCSB professors, concluded that the
proposed city was financially feasible if each resident would be willing to pay
$18-per-year to have policy control over police, planning, transportation,
etc. When these study results were
announced, a front page story in the Daily
Nexus quoted Administration officials saying that students couldn’t afford what
it would cost to run such a city. At literally
the same time, the Administration was promoting a referendum in which students
were being asked to assess themselves $54-per-quarter to pay for an addition to
the Ucen. While it was IVCC rep.
Mike Boyd, not I, who popularized the moniker of “Fast Eddie” for Birch, it was
definitely well deserved.

I was properly impressed with UCSB planner Chuck Haines
vision of a more physically integrated campus and town presented in your
interview with him. But as to Birch’s
recommendation that “the University should partner with local investors to
upgrade the housing stock . . .”, good luck.
The partnership between the County and local investors through the RDA resulted
in several new multi-storied apartment buildings. The Icon structure, which you properly called
“ostentatious”, has 105 beds but only 17 parking places. This is hardly progress.

owever,

Finally, I found your summary statement that my activism was
“often to no avail” was a bit over-the-top. Today, there are a lot of parks in a town that
had only one when I arrived and I was on the park board when the first
million-dollar-package was purchased. In
addition, I was in the leadership of saving PerfectPark
from a County-approved development and the later campaign to establish a
monument there to the worldwide anti-war movement of the 1970s. Also, the issues of my weekly newspaper, the Isla Vista Free Press (1987-89), were
considered important enough to have been digitalized and made available at UCSB
Special Collections (http://www.library.ucsb.edu/special-collections/research/ivweb/ivFP). And then, there’s
that book . . .

I only found a few points
I would question for accuracy in your account:

1. “The University . . . did
support Isla Vista being annexed to Goleta
when that city incorporated.” I believe
that the U failed to state an opinion.

2. I don’t believe the
census information you provided is about the half-square mile everyone knows as
Isla Vista, which is still 95%-plus renters
the last time I looked vs. the 83% you reported. Your data appears to be that of the “Isla
Vista CDP”, a 1.86 sq.-mile area that includes many owner-occupied residential
units along Storke Road.

3. The decision whether
the RDA-owned Clinic building is to be sold hasn’t been made yet – it’s due any
day now from the state Dept. of Finance.
Your article didn’t mention that the community is also seeking the
vacant RDA-owned building next to it as a meeting hall. Together, these buildings would become the
community center that the RDA proposed to build out on Estero Road, which also is not mentioned
in your list of approved RDA projects scuttled by the state’s financial
crisis. This community center outcome is
being supported by Supervisor Doreen Farr, Assemblymember Das Williams and
State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson. So,
it’s a substantial issue pertaining to the community, one in which I’m
involved.

It’s interesting to note
that Chancellor Yang signed a “treaty” to end the 1994 hunger strike by
minority students that committed the U to do everything possible to help
establish a community center in Isla Vista. Yet, the U hasn’t been heard from in this
five-month old campaign to save the two RDA-owned buildings. In case you’re interested, I’ve been told a
copy of that signed document is available in Special Collections. This failure to act doesn’t bode well for the
“Promises to Pay” commitments you outline as UCSB expands enrollment to 25,000
over the next 20 years.

All in
all, however, I believe your article fairly affirms the community’s
shortcomings, although not its assets, and the foundation of the challenges it
still faces – after all these years.

Sincerely,

Carmen Lodise

PS You write that “Carmen Lodise was the
irascible pot stirrer . . . .” I had to
look that up:

While I admit to being quick-tempered in some instances, I
don’t believe I’m petulant. But I admit
to admiring your vocabulary skills.

There were some other comments about the article from long-time Isla Vistans. Some of them are included below:

Never give up, Carmelo.kind of a ho-hum article. i thought your response was more interesting...i don't understand how he could write an iv article and not mention the ivrpd and all the bluff top land that was kept in open space by bill wallace...

Random thoughts---Thank you for sharing this, Carmen, and for your reply! I don't even know where to begin in commenting on UCSB's dismal history with Isla Vista. The only good thing I can come up with easily is the foot patrol, which put campus cops onto community-based teams with sheriffs. I still use that as an example of authentic community-based policing when advocating for the cops to get out of their cars in the city I live in.
IV taught me about the effects of capitalism on the housing market, and instilled in me a life-long commitment to renters' rights.

LOVE your reference to our community reunions! They should be noted in national publications!
I recently told the Isla Vista story to a couple of fairly young union organizers as a way of explaining who I am today. One of them borrowed your book from me!
We were always more stoned than drunk, though I do remember going down to the ABC office with Eileen Yamashita to ask them to give us liquor licenses in IV. Also the pot is so much stronger now. I think the current party culture has more to do with the frat culture vs. the hippie culture. You remember that one of the frat houses was leased to Das Institut during my time in IV.
The current party culture is way over the top. My older son lived in IV one year (maybe 3 years ago) and it was even too much of a party scene for him. (and that is saying something!) I don't think that density is the problem so much as the culture.
I put a lot of blame on the starvation of California education. They don't provide enough services or small enough classes to keep students engaged and in relationship with older people. It is really easy for the students to get lost in the crowd, especially if they have mental health issues, substance abuse problems, etc.

I got a kick out of the reference to "in loco parentis". I think that change came about when I was a student, and we were very happy about it!
There is no question that Isla Vista should have formed a city, and that the University's opposition is what blocked it.
My life was fundamentally shaped by my Isla Vista experience. Every day I practice something that I learned there, including local government powers and organization, canvassing (we called it "community communication"), persuasive analysis and writing, community organizing, and advocacy with public entities. Truly, this is what I do every day, and I learned it in IV!

Thank you Carmen, I enjoyed the read.

I never knew you that well but his description did not fit you.

And thanks Carmen for sticking up for us all. We DID try to create the kind of culture we wanted to live in and even if we failed, we all grew as a result and the effects are still with us.

Irascible or not we are lucky to have you. You may stir the pot – but the ingredients for that toxic stew were designed by UCSB

I am trying to understand what Thurlow means by a "Lodisean" history. I guess you were pretty good at arch-criticism, so that if the emperor had any clothes at all, you could strip 'em bare, give 'em a fig leaf and a new descriptive nickname. If I were to do the same to you I would frame your style to be fitting as a graduate student of Machiavelli. But I never thought you to be amoral, but always to have a large part of your agenda in the realm of the public good.